By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 31: BJP MDC and party vice president, Bernard Marak claimed that the State Finance Commission (SFC), notified in 2012, was never constituted by the state government, terming it a violation of Paragraph 7.7 of the Garo Accord.
Marak asserted that the state government cannot interfere with or take over the shares and royalties of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
He said the Accord had specifically mentioned the need to constitute an independent body like the State Finance Commission to recommend a proper basis for allocation of funds and sharing of tax proceeds between the state government and the ADC administrations.
He added that the purpose of the SFC was also to enable direct funding from the Centre and to avoid financial anomalies in the ADCs.
According to him, the Agreement clearly required the Government of India and the Government of Meghalaya to initiate steps for necessary modifications in the Constitutional and other relevant legislative or procedural regulatory frameworks.
Marak maintained that the Agreement has been grossly violated by State Government officials who failed to take up the necessary steps to address the concerns of the ADCs.
“The body was notified but never constituted,” Marak said.
